Willie Fritz’s Houston Cougars are coming off a 10-win season, and they are not slowing down. They are absolutely eyeing a Big 12 conference title and a Playoff trip this year, plain and simple.
Houston Is Loaded Up And Ready To Roll
This team is built different for 2026, and their returning profile should lead to a fast start right out of the gate. Houston brings back its head coach, both coordinators, a whopping 71% of its offensive production, and 58% of its defensive production. That kind of continuity is absolutely gold, signaling they are ready to roll. Quarterback Conner Weigman is back under center, after throwing for 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions last year. His offense finished just outside the top 40 in SP+ efficiency, and it projects to be much, much better this season. The run game definitely needed a kick to improve from last year, but Houston went hard in the portal, grabbing new runners and fresh offensive linemen to make that happen. They are loaded up, ready to fix those weak spots.
The OSU Mismatch And Game Day Heat
On the other side, things look rough for Oregon State. Since Jonathan Smith bailed for Michigan State, they’ve completely bottomed out. Now they’re starting over with a first-time head coach, JaMarcus Shephard, and it shows. The Beavers’ offense is gonna struggle big time this Saturday. They named former Mercer quarterback Braden Atkinson as their starter, and I’m generally out on FCS quarterbacks making their first start in FBS against a power conference defense. We just saw this play out in Week 0 with TCU starting a Harvard quarterback transfer; it’s a huge step up. OSU also lost productive skill players to the portal, leaving Atkinson with a bunch of unknowns. Their offensive line struggled last season, and who knows what they’ll bring this year. Honestly, Houston’s offense is just way more talented than that Beavers unit. Houston’s defense, even with its struggles against the run last year, was excellent in efficiency and the red zone. But here’s the kicker: I’m not concerned about this particular OSU rushing attack at all. Plus, Houston’s secondary is the strength of the team, so forget any serious passing attack from the Beavers.
Add in the game-day conditions: it’s a noon ET game, outside in Houston, where it’s gonna be hot. Meanwhile, it’s mid-60s back in Oregon. That’s an early body clock killer for the Beavers. Expect the Cougars to roll, absolutely dominate this one. Over in another Week 0 showdown, USC dropped 35 points midway through the third quarter against San Jose State, even pulling starters. They barely even opened up the playbook, and still moved the ball with ease. You gotta wonder what happens when they actually turn it loose against Fresno State, whose defense is far better than San Jose State’s.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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